1. My pilates instructor is a lovely, fit, compact woman with a lilting English accent. (So, a little bit the opposite of moi.) When we are reaching the end of a particular sequence on the reformer, she will say something motivating like "that's it, ladies," or "you're nearly there." The latter is my favorite, because of the way it plays her accent*. She sounds for all the world like Natasha Khan of Bats for Lashes. Earlier today I caught myself repeating this phrase while working at my desk. Having just re-edited our chapter on Delivery, I set it aside and whispered to no one but myself, "ya neely theh."
*another fave is "beautiful," which is deliberately divided syllabically, more like "beeyouTEEfull"
2. There is an item on my to-do list that says "get started on X, so you don't lose your mind." This is what it's come to.
3. I will spend most of next month fantasizing about spring break when we will stay home, and I will finish writing a couple of talks and paint the baby's room.
4. All the time you hear "you've got to learn to say no." For me, it's less about learning to do this--Nancy Reagan must have taught my generation well--and more about being realistic about what one person can take on. What this means is that I have had to turn down things I really really wanted to do, and that three years ago I would have said yes to in a snap. But that was because I was doing less three years ago, national service wise and admin-wise. And my life was such that I had lots more cracks into which I could wedge yet another thing. But with those cracks sealed up, I have had to re-learn, not how to say no, but that I have to. And to realize that the world won't end when I do, but instead I will have energy and time for the stuff that I find most vital and energizing (teaching, my work for RSA, the CDD, lectures, and my book).
5. Relatedly: energy can beget energy, but there is a limit, and you gots to keep an eye on quality.
6. My co-author rocks.